Recently a customer (already certified to dive) walked into our store and indicated an interest in becoming a DM then Instructor. After talking with her about a plan of action for more than 30 minutes... she dropped the "oh, by the way... I have epilepsy, caused by brain cancer." Not something I hear from a leadership candidate everyday.
So I started some hard research and luckily DAN (in the New March/April Issue of Alert Diver) has an article about Diving with Epilepsy (see page 22 of the magazine.)
DAN, I think most all of us agree is a leading (if not primary) leading authority on Dive related research. They start the article with "Epilepsy is perhaps one of the few worldwide diseases that most medical professionals agree is an absolute contraindication to safe diving."
The key words here are "perhaps" and "most." Both leaving room for interpretation and the possibility that diving with epilepsy is possible. They didn't help me any further by concluding the article with "The only real truth in the matter is that absolutes can be invalid. As Les Luthiers, a comedy-musical group from Argentina, said "absolute truth does not exist, and that is absolutely true."
So to get to my point... DAN is now using ambiguous and irrelevant quotes to help us determine what is safe and what isn't? I can only assume by the final conclusion made in the quote.. that epilepsy is not an absolute contraindication for diving according to DAN.
So my final question in this discussion is for anyone out there. Is it safe for epileptics to dive? They legallly drive cars in many places. This I believe is far more dangerous than diving. If they have a seizure underwater, they are likely only to harm themselves. If they have a seizure on a highway, they could wipe out 20 cars and take numerous lives and cause untold numbers of injuries?
If a doctor signs off that she is fit to dive (and instruct)... would you as a shop owner hire her? Would you as a student want her to teach you? Would you as an Agency approve her Instructor rating?
I'm asking all these questions hoping for some straight answers. She was a super nice girl and I want to help her... but I also want to have as many opinions as possible to help us come to a rational decision... both for her, her family, our store and her potential students.
Anyone out there diving with epilepsy... I'd especially appreciate hearing from you...
Safe and Happy Diving to All...
So I started some hard research and luckily DAN (in the New March/April Issue of Alert Diver) has an article about Diving with Epilepsy (see page 22 of the magazine.)
DAN, I think most all of us agree is a leading (if not primary) leading authority on Dive related research. They start the article with "Epilepsy is perhaps one of the few worldwide diseases that most medical professionals agree is an absolute contraindication to safe diving."
The key words here are "perhaps" and "most." Both leaving room for interpretation and the possibility that diving with epilepsy is possible. They didn't help me any further by concluding the article with "The only real truth in the matter is that absolutes can be invalid. As Les Luthiers, a comedy-musical group from Argentina, said "absolute truth does not exist, and that is absolutely true."
So to get to my point... DAN is now using ambiguous and irrelevant quotes to help us determine what is safe and what isn't? I can only assume by the final conclusion made in the quote.. that epilepsy is not an absolute contraindication for diving according to DAN.
So my final question in this discussion is for anyone out there. Is it safe for epileptics to dive? They legallly drive cars in many places. This I believe is far more dangerous than diving. If they have a seizure underwater, they are likely only to harm themselves. If they have a seizure on a highway, they could wipe out 20 cars and take numerous lives and cause untold numbers of injuries?
If a doctor signs off that she is fit to dive (and instruct)... would you as a shop owner hire her? Would you as a student want her to teach you? Would you as an Agency approve her Instructor rating?
I'm asking all these questions hoping for some straight answers. She was a super nice girl and I want to help her... but I also want to have as many opinions as possible to help us come to a rational decision... both for her, her family, our store and her potential students.
Anyone out there diving with epilepsy... I'd especially appreciate hearing from you...
Safe and Happy Diving to All...